Press Releases

Counting on Bird Counters in the Southeast

October 25, 2006

Northern Cardinals were reported at more feeders in the Southeast last winter than any other species. Close behind in the rankings were Mourning Dove, American Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadee, and Tufted Titmouse. These rankings are based on reports to Project FeederWatch, a popular citizen-science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that helps answer questions about bird populations.

According to project leader David Bonter, counts were below normal last winter. "A lot of people from Florida and the Carolinas, west to Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana reported fewer birds at the start of the last FeederWatch season. That may have been a result of the relatively mild temperatures," said Bonter. Feeder activity did pick up as the winter progressed but numbers of some species were still markedly lower than normal, including Blue Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Northern Flickers.

On the positive side, FeederWatchers reported record numbers of Chipping Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, and White-winged Doves last winter. They also found a few rarities in the Southeast. "Some western hummingbirds spent the winter in Virginia and Florida instead of going to their normal wintering areas in Central America, and there was a Bullock's Oriole visiting a feeder in Tallahassee when it should have been in Mexico," said Bonter.

Project FeederWatch participants have submitted more than 1.1 million checklists to date, helping scientists track changes in bird populations and distribution. People of all ages and skill levels are welcome to participate. To learn more about Project FeederWatch or to register, visit www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw or call the Lab toll-free at (800) 843-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher's Handbook, a poster of the most common feeder birds, a calendar, complete instructions on filing reports, a subscription to the Lab's newsletter, BirdScope, and the FeederWatch Winter Bird Highlights. The season runs from November 11 to April 6, and participants may join at any time.

"It's our 20th year," said Bonter, "and we're counting on citizen scientists to help us track birds for the next 20 years."

Note: Photos and local participants for stories are available upon request. Contact David Bonter at (607) 254-2457 or email dnb23@cornell.edu